Naumann Announces Retirement from Copesan; Schroeder Promoted

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Deni D. Naumann, president of Copesan Services, has announced her retirement from Copesan Services, transitioning to an ongoing consultative role with ServiceMaster on July 1.

Since joining the company in 2006, Naumann has led the Copesan organization and its service network. Copesan said her vision, leadership qualities and commitment to serving her employees, clients, industry and the Copesan Partner service provider network have been integral to the growth and success of the organization the last 13 years. This includes the successful integration of Copesan and its two operating companies, Wil-Kil Pest Control and Holder’s Pest Solutions, following its acquisition by ServiceMaster/Terminix in March 2018. Most recently, Naumann also served as interim president of Terminix Commercial during its search for a new president.

Naumann transitioned her day-to-day responsibilities prior to July 1 and provided transition support and guidance to the incoming Terminix Commercial President Greg Rutherford. She will remain in an ongoing consultative role with ServiceMaster.

In related news, Aric Schroeder was promoted to vice president of national accounts, Copesan and Terminix/general manager of Copesan Services, reporting to Rutherford. In his new role, Schroeder will be responsible for the strategic direction for both Copesan and Terminix National Accounts as well as oversee the Copesan operating companies —Holder’s Pest Solutions and Wil-Kil Pest Control.

Since joining Copesan Services in 2007, Schroeder has served as vice president of sales.

Dominique Sauvage, senior director of quality, field operations and training — Terminix Commercial/Copesan Services, now reports to Rutherford. On July 1, Kevin Fixel, vice president of finance; Jessica Janiszewski, director of human resources; and Mike Ruland, director of software development/IT, will report to their functional departments at ServiceMaster.

Aaron Hobbs Resigns as RISE President

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Aaron Hobbs resigned as president of Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE), the RISE Governing Board announced in its June 10 Member Alert.

Hobbs had been RISE president since 2010, after taking over for longtime President Allen James. Prior to becoming president, Hobbs served as RISE director of legislative affairs and grassroots outreach.

In the Member Alert, RISE wrote, “During his tenure, Aaron created a strategic plan that has guided the organization’s tactical investments for the past five years. Aaron helped lead the RISE team’s development of the Debug the Myths campaign, the ANDnotOR campaign, and helped sharpen the issues management focus for specialty pesticides and fertilizer.”

Hobbs wrote in the Member Alert that he is leaving RISE with mixed emotions. “After 10 great years, it is the right time to take on a new opportunity. It has been a pleasure and honor to work with and for you this past decade. We’ve grown our industry, faced many challenges, and enjoyed many successes. You have a great team to carry you into the future beginning with your peers serving on the Governing Board and Strategic Oversight Council and the staff team in Washington. I’m proud of our time together and wish you all success in the future. I look forward to staying in touch with many of you and continuing to enjoy the value of our industry where we live, work and play.”

The RISE Governing Board has named a transition committee that will be working with CropLife America to evaluate ways to enhance the service provided to RISE Members and the specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry. — Brad Harbison

Modern Pest Services Acquires EHS Pest Services

BRUNSWICK, Maine — Modern Pest Services, an Anticimex company, announced its newest partner in New England with the acquisition of Environmental Health Services (EHS Pest) of Norwood, Mass.

EHS was founded in 1985. John Stellberger, president of EHS, said, “Our partnership with Modern Pest Services and The Anticimex Group will further grow our vision for environmentally responsible, humane, cutting edge and preventive pest control. I am excited to continue our efforts with such a strong commitment from Modern and the resources of Anticimex, a global pest control leader.”

Dennis Dube, president of Modern Pest Services, said, “I’m thrilled to announce that the newest addition to the Modern family is EHS. From day one of our discussions, I could not have been more impressed with their organization, their leadership team and their total focus on client service.”

Dube further added, “For the clients of Modern Pest Services, this latest addition means more great news. Today we also announce a new branch located on the south shore of Massachusetts. This means more dedicated team members and faster routing in and around the Boston area. This will only enhance our best-in-class service.”

Modern’s operations in Massachusetts will be divided between the new Norwood branch and the current Woburn branch. This is Modern’s eighth acquisition since 2017.

NJPMA, Rutgers to Host Annual Clinic, Trade Show and Clambake

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — On Aug. 15, NJPMA will host its 72^nd Annual Clinic, Trade Show and Clambake at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. The event is one of the largest on the East Coast with 50 exhibitors and around 500 attendees.

The program features educational sessions and vendors showcasing the latest products, equipment, and pest control services and techniques.

Learn more at https://njpma.com/classes/72nd-annual-clinic-trade-show-and-clambake/.

University of Kentucky Announces 49^th Annual Program

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The 49^th Annual University of Kentucky Pest Control Short Course will be held Nov. 5-7, in Lexington, Ky.

Sessions include a half-day workshop on managing cockroaches in restaurants and apartments; current/future trends in the industry; pest identification for non-entomologists; advanced inspection techniques; opportunities in residential mosquito control; allergenic threats of insects; threatening incidents on the route; business roundtable; and sessions on managing bed bugs, ants, termites, rodents, birds, stored product pests, etc. Featured speakers include Austin Frishman, Jeff Tucker, Dan Moreland, Mike Holcomb, Rick Cooper, Ted Bruesch, Pete Markham, Dan Collins, Tom Myers and Ray Johnson.

View details at www.kyshortcourse.org or contact kyshortcourse@gmail.com.

Goldenberg Named 2019 TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) and Project EverGreen announced longtime green industry champion Norman Goldenberg as the recipient of the 2019 TOCA Environmental Communicator of the Year Award.

The award, which recognizes individuals for outstanding communications efforts regarding green space and environmental issues, was presented during TOCA’s 30^th Annual Conference in Charlotte on May 1. He is the 21^st recipient of this award.

For nearly 60 years, Goldenberg has been a mainstay in the professional lawn, landscape and pest management industries. His extensive government affairs expertise and acumen for working with regulators has helped businesses — big and small — successfully navigate the inherent challenges of working with pesticides both residentially and commercially.

Goldenberg is widely known for his daily e-mails detailing local, state and national news surrounding the use of pesticides and fertilizers. His extensive knowledge of regulatory affairs surrounding these industries has made him a sought-after speaker, adviser, and committee and task force participant in statehouses and hearing rooms across the country.

“This award caps off a long 57-year career. I respect and appreciate this award,” Goldenberg said during his acceptance. “Communications have and always will be vital to factually sharing the messages that represent our business. But don’t make the mistake of assuming your story has been heard; it’s an ongoing process.”

Goldenberg has a bachelor of science degree in entomology from the University of Florida. He owned his own pest control company — Alert Lear Pest Control in Miami — before selling his business and starting a 28-year career at Terminix and TruGreen.

He formed Namron Business Associates in January 2014 with the goal of bringing his decades of experience in the lawn care and pest management industries to other companies and associates.

Clients, among others, have included Terminix, TruGreen and the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), where he imparted knowledge and guidance in areas such as regulatory compliance, public affairs and legislative consulting.

“Norman is a true gem. His knowledge, energy and compassion make him a true industry champion,” said Cindy Code, executive director of Project EverGreen. “His tireless efforts to communicate factual and up-to-date information on vital issues impacting business owners and consumers are admired and appreciated by thousands nationwide. Norman is a natural environmental communicator and deserving of this prestigious award.”

Barcelona Pest Control Innovation Forum Addresses Industry Challenges

BARCELONA, Spain — The fourth Barcelona Pest Control Innovation Forum took place April 1-2. The event is organized by the Association of Pest Control Companies of Catalonia (ADEPAP — Associacio d’Empreses de Control de Plagas de Catalunya), which is the oldest pest management association in Spain (established in 1977). Pest magazine attended the event for the first time, and Associate Editor/Publisher Helen Riby recapped the event. Here are a few highlights:

The forum was designed to gather together pest management professionals who are seeking ideas to address industry challenges. Riby noted that this year’s conference covered the latest digital technologies and ways to effectively implement them into a pest control servicing. There were about 150 attendees, including representatives from the sponsoring companies and, not surprisingly, the majority came from Catalonia and Spain.

Another highlight was a presentation from NPMA President Dennis Jenkins, who outlined how his company, ABC Home & Commercial Services, is reaping the rewards of new technology. Some of the new technology ABC has benefited from includes:

• A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system;
• Mobile field devices with all customer information available for technicians;
• Vehicle technology such as GPS, hands-free phones — technology that encourages good driving habits;
• Remote technology such as drones and remote monitoring devices for rodents;
• Route optimization;
• Remote payment system.

The BPCIF was sponsored by BASF, Bayer, Killgerm, Mylva, Quimosa with support from Ensystex, IGEOERP, Pestnet and Sumitomo.

Liphatech Earns 2019 Top Workplace Designation

MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Liphatech recently earned a Top Workplace designation.

Sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the designation is determined based on confidential surveys completed by the company’s employees.

“We think our employees are Liphatech’s greatest asset. On top of the important work they do for rodent control, our employees have taken the time to share candid feedback about their experience working at Liphatech, earning a score that allowed us to capture this designation,” said Manny Martinez, CEO of Liphatech. “We’ve got a great, energetic team serving the industry.”

For information about Liphatech products and services, call 888/331-7900 or visit liphatech.com.

PPMA Unveils New Mainframe Website

FAIRFAX, Va. — The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) recently announced new design upgrades to its exclusive subscription website, PPMAMainframe.org. Mainframe is a digital marketing service available to pest management companies actively investing in consumer education programs and initiatives powered by PPMA. It gives companies access to ready-made, professionally designed social media and digital content, as well as advertising, direct mail and public relations materials specifically created for pest management companies to help grow their businesses.

To create a more user-friendly experience, the site now features a responsive design, allowing users to access materials by computer, tablet or mobile device and to search and sort through files more easily with enhanced navigation features. Mainframe also offers users the ability to preview photo and video content directly on the platform before downloading the assets.

The new ppmamainframe.org is largely organized into two main sections. The Customizable Materials section is where pest management companies can find professional marketing assets such as high-resolution photography and video, ready-to-post social media content, campaign toolkits, press release templates and advertisements that can be branded with a company’s own logo and contact information. The second section, Learning Resources, is where companies can discover marketing trends, exclusive consumer research and how-to tutorials. These tutorials include insights on how to build a marketing plan, manage online reviews and effectively use social media, among other topics. New materials are added every month to give subscribers the digital and traditional marketing tools needed to stand out and communicate with both prospects and customers alike.

“Mainframe has grown over the years to become a vital resource in many companies’ marketing programs,” said Cindy Mannes, executive director for PPMA. “We strive to provide the proper tools and information they need to grow and promote their own businesses, and to provide a tangible, valuable service to show our sincere appreciation for the support they provide to PPMA.”

The group also plans to develop a video tutorial and will host a webinar to tour the new platform for both current subscribers and those interested in learning more about the resources on Mainframe.

For more information about PPMA and its consumer programs, or to get access to Mainframe, contact Mannes at cmannes@pestworld.org.

Ticks, Mosquitoes Becoming More Problematic Nationally, NPMA Reports

FAIRFAX, Va. — A recent online research study conducted between January 2018 and May 2019 by Advanced Symbolics using a representative sample of 274,500 Americans revealed ticks and mosquitoes are becoming increasingly problematic across the country, each experiencing a spike of 11.4 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively, from just April to May 2019. As such, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is urging the public to take preventive measures to protect against the health threats posed by these biting pests.

“With the seasons changing, people are spending more time outdoors with their families, friends and pets, increasing their exposure to sunshine but also to biting pests such as mosquitoes and ticks,” said Jim Fredericks, Ph.D., chief entomologist and vice president of technical and regulatory affairs for NPMA.

Blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, can transmit Lyme disease in as little as 24-36 hours after attaching to a human host, and both the Rocky Mountain wood tick and the American dog tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever after being attached for only two hours, making thorough tick checks and quick removal crucial in reducing the threat of disease transmission. Additionally, mosquitoes spread West Nile virus, which has been detected in all 48 continental states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, and can also transmit Zika virus, dengue fever and chikungunya to humans.

UPMA Celebrates One-Year Anniversary, Holds Second Conference

FAIRFAX, Va. — The Utah Pest Management Association (UPMA) celebrated its one-year anniversary since being founded in March 2018. Since that time, UPMA has hosted two conferences; an inaugural conference in fall 2018, and most recently a spring conference in Lindon, Utah.

These conferences drew nearly 300 attendees and exhibitors from across the state of Utah. Attendees were offered the opportunity to earn CEUs in Utah and neighboring states through professionally led education and management sessions. These sessions included a variety of topics from accounting practices for managers and owners to proper pest identification for technicians.

Andrew Richardson, owner of one of Utah’s largest pest control companies, Edge, and president of UPMA, commented on what sets the association apart from other organizations. “The programming provided by UPMA is really next-level. PCOs, business owners, managers… they can’t get the kind of quality education that UPMA offers anywhere else. UPMA conferences are unmatched by the community experience — you take away so much more than just CEUs.”

For more information about UPMA, visit www.utahpest.org. Or contact UPMA Executive Director Amy Cannon at acannon@pestworld.org or 800/678-6722, extension 137.